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Douxie stared down at the brand new phone in his hand. He took a deep breath. It was time.
He dialed the number he knew by heart and brought the phone up to his ear. It rang. Once. Twice. Five times. Then voicemail. He tried again. Still no answer.
He groaned and dropped his phone into his lap. Archie leapt up onto the couch beside him.
“You know she never answers ID-less calls,” he said.
“I know. I thought I’d give it a go anyway.”
Douxie brought his hands up and rubbed at his eyes.
“Have you tried calling her place or work?” Archie suggested, licking at a paw.
Douxie sat up straight.
“Brilliant!” he exclaimed, “Thanks, Arch.”
He picked up the phone and dialed the number. It rang once. Twice. Then…
“Hi, this is Hex Tech. How can I help you?”
“Hey, Zoe,” he said.
Silence from the other end.
“Zoe?”
He faintly made out the words “going on break.” Then the sound of movement and a door slamming shut. He heard her take a deep breath and then-
“Fuck you, Hisirdoux Casperan!”
Archie looked up from his place beside the wizard.
“I’ll give you two some privacy.”
With that, he leapt from the couch and trotted from the room. Douxie cleared his throat.
“It’s nice to hear from you too,” he said sweetly.
“Oh, no. Oh, no no no no no. Now is not the time for your ‘English charm.’ It has been six months! Six months without a single call or text! Not even an email! And after what, hm? After I go into work to find Hex Tech completely trashed and everyone inside gone. Then I find the bookstore charred with no sign of you or Merlin anywh-”
“Merlin’s dead,” he cut in.
On the other end of the line, Zoe’s breath caught.
“What?” she whispered.
“He’s dead,” Douxie said, clearing his throat to keep the tremor out of his voice, “He was killed fighting the Arcane Order. Now, I’m carrying out his last command to protect Nari.”
“What? Who’s Nari?”
He took a deep breath.
“It’s a long story,” he said, “I’m sorry I took so long to call. I survived one too many rough landings, but my phone wasn’t so lucky. It took me this long to save up for a new one.”
There was a pause. He leaned forward.
“Zoe? Are you still there?”
“Where are you?” she asked; more demanded .
“New York City.”
“New York City!?” she yelled, “ That’s all the way across the continent. Bleeding balroths, Douxie. You never quit, do you?”
He chuckled.
“Not when the end of the world’s at stake.”
“Again?” she asked.
“Again,” he said, “Unfortunately.”
He relaxed back against the couch.
“So, how’ve you been?” he asked.
“Other than worrying my ass off about you? Good.”
He laughed again.
“You know, you could always just say ‘I’ve missed you.’”
“Now, why would I say that?”
He could practically hear the smirk in her voice.
“Because you have,” he said, “Like how I’ve missed you.”
From the other end, he heard a short breath of laughter.
“It’s good to know I’m not the only one,” she said. Then, without missing a beat, “When are you coming back?”
“About that,” he said, biting his lip, “...I’m not coming back.”
“ What? ”
“It’s too dangerous. There’s nowhere to hide in Arcadia. The Arcane Order would find us like that!”
He snapped his fingers.
“Okay,” Zoe said, “Then I’m coming out there.”
He jolted upright.
“What?” he gawked, “Zoe, no. This is my burden to bear and no one else’s.”
“Ugh,” she groaned, and he could tell she was rolling her eyes, “Again with the stoic loner act? When are you going to realize that you don’t always need to go it alone?”
“I’m not alone,” he protested, “I’ve got Archie and Nari.”
“Look, Douxie. If the world’s really going to end again like you say it is - and I don’t doubt for a minute that it is - then you’re going to need all the help you can get. So I’m coming out there whether you like it or not.”
And with that, she hung up. Douxie fell back against the couch and let his phone slip from his fingers.
Just then, Archie poked his head through the doorway.
“So?” he asked, “How did it go?”
“Prepare yourself, Archie,” Douxie said, turning his head with a smirk, “We’re about to have a new housemate.”